Improvement in spring bed-bottoms



'0'. N. H OMA N. Spring Bed-Bottom. No. 211, 59.-

Patented Jan. 28," 1879.

PATENT FFICE.

CALEB N. HOMAN, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING BE D-BOTTOMS.

Specificationfonning part of Letters Patent No. 211,659, dated January 28, 1879 application filed November 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CALEB N. HOMAN, of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and-State of Massachusetts, have invented an Adj ustable Slat-Connection for Spring Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification:

Spiral springs for supporting bed-bottom slats, as is well known, are in common use. In setting the slats upon the springs, the latter are liable to become loosened and displaced. lo obviate this difficulty the slats have been connected together transversely by strips of flexible material, such as canvas, leather, &c. The objection to these is that the slats are liable to turn, and fail to keep their proper position.

Wooden strips and those made of a single piece of sheet metal have also been used. These are objectionable, for the reason that they admit of no separate longitudinal or lat- .eral adjustment of the slats, and prevent the easy adaptation to the body in its different positions on the bed.

It is the object of my invention to obviate these difficulties; and the invention consists in connecting the slats together by a series of short strips of sheet metal jointed together, the slats being secured over the joints of the said strips in such a way that upon any weight or pressure being exerted upon the slats the latter will be separately adjusted, either laterally or longitudinally, to conform to the position of the body of the occupant of the bed.

Instead of sheet metal the jointed bar may be of wood or other suitable material.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspeetive'view of a springbed-bottom embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the under side of the slat-s and the jointed connecting-strip. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the adjustable jointed strip. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

a a represent the slats, which are supported inthe usual manner uponthe coiled springs b b, the latter resting upon the rigid cross-pieces c 0, attached to the longitudinal supports 6 c. D represents a connecting-piece, composed of a series of thin metallic strips, (1 (I, jointed together, as shown in Fig. 4.

These strips are shown as connected together and to the under side of the slats wa at the upper ends of the springs I) I); but they may be attached, if desirable, to the under side of the slats either within or outside of the spring attachments.

It will be readily seen that when any weight is made to bear more particularly upon any one or more of the slats, the tendency will be to allow of a longitudinal as well as a lateral movement of the slats, thus imparting a yielding adjustment to the motions of the body 00- cupying the bed in all directions, and obviating the objection to the direct connection of the whole or continuous bar that unites the slats.

I am aware of device shown in patent to Le Quesne, November 18, 1876, wherein the slats are pivoted at the central points of a number of links or bars, afl'ording a lateral adjustment of said slats, but wherein the slats are specially prevented from moving in the direction of their length. I do not desire to be understood as intending to cover such con.- struction hereby.

By pivoting each link of the jointed bar D to the slats, and by locating the pivots at each end of each link, the whole system or any one of its elements is made capable of both a lateral and-a longitudinal displacement or adjustment in accordance with the objects of the invention, as previously stated.

What I claim as my invention is- In a spring bed-bottom, the combination, with the slats a, a and springs b b, of the transverse bars D D, composed of a series of links, (1 (I, each link being pivotedateach end to the corresponding slats, substantially as shown and described, so as to afford a longitudinal as well as a lateral ad ustment ot said slats,

for the objects named.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CALEB N. HOMAN.

Witnesses J. H. ADAMS, L. H. LATIMER. 

